Is Atlanta poised to become the nation's new soccer epicenter? The answer just got a whole lot clearer with the grand opening of the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center on May 7. Located just south of Atlanta in Fayetteville, Georgia, this state-of-the-art facility marks a transformative moment for American soccer—a shared home for all 27 U.S. national teams, from youth to senior levels, for both men and women.
The ceremony was nothing short of inspiring. Young players Lucy and Reese, dressed in their club jerseys, stood on a stage overlooking an expansive turf field as former U.S. Men's National Team star Oguchi Onyewu delivered an emotional address. "Standing here today, honestly, I'm extremely emotional," Onyewu shared. "I can't help but think what something of this magnitude would have meant when I was coming through the system. From recreation to competitive, to pre-Pro to eventually the professional levels, we never had a shared home like this. The next generation will. Soccer players like Lucy and Reese here will be able to walk into this facility and not just see what's possible, but imagine the legacy they will build within these walls."
Spanning an impressive 123 acres, the training center is a soccer lover's dream. It boasts over 400,000 square feet of indoor spaces, including gyms, locker rooms, meeting rooms, and community areas, plus 17 playing surfaces. Among those are 13 regulation natural grass fields, two artificial turf fields, and two sand pitches for beach soccer—not to mention two regulation-size indoor fields. Whether it's a crisp morning training session or a high-stakes tactical meeting, this facility has it all.
The project bears the name of Arthur M. Blank, the Atlanta billionaire and Home Depot co-founder, whose vision helped bring this hub to life. He was joined by iconic Atlanta-based brands like Coca-Cola and Chick-fil-A, among other investors, underscoring the city's growing reputation as a sports powerhouse. For players and fans alike, this isn't just a training ground—it's a statement that American soccer is ready to compete on the world stage, with Atlanta leading the charge.